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Warren: I’ve Never Claimed to Be a Native American Citizen

Updated 10.17.18 6:38AM ET / Published 10.17.18 5:57AM ET

Reuters / Yuri Gripas

Sen. Elizabeth Warren has defended her decision to release DNA test results showing her Native American ancestry, saying she had to do something to fight back against attacks from Republicans. Warren has been criticized by Donald Trump and the leadership of the Cherokee Nation for her DNA move, but Warren told the Boston Globe: “I have an election. Donald Trump goes in front of crowds multiple times a week to attack me. Both of my opponents have made the same attack. I got this analysis back, and I made it public.” However, asked whether, based on the results, she made a mistake identifying herself as Native American as a law professor decades ago, Warren said she regretted not distinguishing between ancestry and citizenship. “The distinction is: I’m not a citizen, never have claimed to be, and I wish I had been more mindful of that 30 years ago,” Warren said. “I wish I had been clearer about that—been more mindful, is the word.”